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The Buffalo Sabres centre is the team’s top scorer, with 17 goals and 33 assists going into Friday’s game against Ottawa. He and Evander Kane have been tough to isolate, because most NHL defences are set up to stop Jack Eichel on the second line. The Sabres came into the Air Canada Centre March 7 and beat the Leafs 4-3 in a shootout, with Sam Reinhart potting the winner.

Streaking: Eichel has been hot; going into Friday’s action, he had seven points, including five goals, in his last seven games. Kane ranks third in the league with 4.2 shots per game prior to Friday.

Workhorses: O’Reilly (21:51) leads all NHL forwards in average ice time per game and Kane (21:12) ranks second going into Friday’s action. The pair own the two highest average career ice times by Sabres forwards. Michael Peca (20:18) is the only other forward to average over 20 minutes in a season.

Young gun: With Eichel’s goal March 7 at the ACC, he became the youngest 20-goal scorer in Sabres history at 19 years, 131 days, beating Pierre Turgeon by nine days. Turgeon was 19 years, 140 days old when he reached the 20-goal mark Jan. 15, 1989.

Specialty units: The Sabres have the No. 13-ranked power play and the No. 14-ranked penalty kill in the league.

Hurting: The Sabres will be without Cody McCormick, out with a blood clot. Tyler Ennis has been out since Dec. 31 with an upper body injury and ex-Leaf Cody Franson has a neck injury. He’s been out since Feb. 21.

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